Marc Serota/Getty ImagesMiami guard Dwyane Wade drives in against the Celtics in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals Sunday afternoon.

MIAMI — Dwyane Wade isn’t ready for the offseason. Not even close.

And thanks to another record-setting effort by their star, the Miami Heat suddenly have life in their series against the Boston Celtics.

Undeterred by talk that this might have been his final home game in Miami, Wade set franchise playoff records by scoring 46 points, 30 in the second half, and the Heat kept their season alive by beating the Celtics 101-92 on Sunday in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.

“Sometimes, you know, he puts on the cape, man,” Heat forward Quentin Richardson said. “There’s not a lot of things you can do when he’s playing that way.”

Sure enough, Wade was Miami’s superhero.

Wade made 16-of-24 shots, going 5 of 7 from 3-point range, and scored 19 in the fourth quarter alone — single-handedly outscoring the Celtics by four in the final 12 minutes.

The Celtics still lead 3-1, and get a second shot at the clincher on Tuesday in Boston.
But Wade — whose previous playoff best was 43 points in the Game 5 overtime victory during the 2006 finals against Dallas — gave the Heat hope.

“We don’t take Dwyane for granted, that greatness,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “We don’t. He has another gear, another depth to go into in his soul, to be able to dig it out and really carry a team on his back with his will. ... When his back is against the wall, it’s an utter defiance.”

Richardson scored 20 points and Michael Beasley added 15 for the Heat, who wasted an 18-point first-half lead before digging deep to extend the season.

“You better believe this group is inspired,” Spoelstra said.

Rajon Rondo led the Celtics with 23 points. Kevin Garnett had 18 points and 12 rebounds, Pierce scored 16 and Ray Allen added 15 for Boston, which was bidding for its first 4-0 sweep of a series since 1986.

Not so fast.

Wade will opt to become a free agent after the season, and on the slim chance that this was his final home game in Miami, it was nothing short of scintillating.

Trailing by six entering the final quarter and needing a rally to keep the season alive, Miami opened the fourth on a 25-8 run, fueled mostly by Wade. He hit a pair of 3-pointers about a minute apart, stopping after the second to scream at his right hand, giving Miami an 85-80 lead.

“Just a sensational player,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers marveled.

Another 3-pointer from Wade made it 93-82 with 6:12 left.

Over, right?

Not against the Celtics.

Boston was 6-0 against Miami this season, and had won 14 of the last 15 between the clubs since April 2007. So of course the Celtics would make a run — getting within 96-92 on a free throw by Allen with 2:36 left.

Then a funny thing happened. Not only did Allen — a 91 percent foul shooter this season — miss the second, he missed two more with 1:50 left, keeping it a two-possession game.

And when Dorell Wright missed a jumper with 1:50 left, Beasley swooped in, got the rebound and scored, making it 98-92.

Exhale, Miami. The season will go until at least Tuesday.

“I would love Ray to be on the line in Game 5,” Rivers said.

Predictably, the Heat came out inspired.

Garnett scored the opening basket, only to have Miami reel off the next 12 points. Richardson made his first four shots, three of them from 3-point range, staking Miami to a 15-5 lead.

Wade scored 14 in the first, Richardson ended up with 13, and the Heat seemed well on their way, up 31-14 late in the opening quarter.